Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-11-02
From the Mobile (Ala.) Register. Sept. IL tn
Sensible Words
By a Colored Clergyman Of this City.
ADVICE TRAT ALL OF HIS RACE SHOULD
HEED.

On Monday last the Mobile col0roo
knights of Labor went in force on an e1-
cursion to Citronelle, where they met quite
. concourse of colored people lot belong
ing to the Order. The exercises OF the day
were about such as usually characterize a
we'll. behaved excursion, with the exception
that they had an Grafton explanatory. etc..
of the nature and objects of their organiza
ton Rev. A. ] Warner, of Little Bethel
Church" A. NJ E. T., Mobile, was their
chosen orator of the day. His address was
one of decided eloquenee, and worthy of
publication. We, therefore, give it to our
readers:
In setting forth tho character and aims of
the Knights of Labor, Rev, Mr.. Warner
said the protection of its mombers looking
to bettering of their conditieg was its sole
object. 1t wanted them to enjoy the rights
justly due the laboring citizen, and it ask
ed for nothing more; such rights as always
legitimatsly existed between labor and
capital. In orher words, it wants each
Knight of Labor to receive good dollar
for every dollars worth of work perform
ed, and it don't expect the good dollar for
anything leas than a good dollars worth of
work. 1t further advises each Knight to
lay up as many of those good dollars as
possible for rainy day, and to buy home
with it, if be don't happen to have home
already, and to educate his children pro-
psrly. And in the matter Of education 1t is
very particular in its advice. 1t would like
to see them educated to suit the sphere in
life they are expected to fill, and to this
end it urges that muscle shall not be neg
lectsd. 1t there is prospect Of Il call for
the use Of ones muscle as . laborsr of some
kind, it is highly important that there
should be an understanding Of how to use
that muscle to the best advantage when the
time comes. In word, the order wants
its members to become good, useful aud in
dustrious citizens, fully capable of well act
ing their p2It towards advancing the best
general interest OF the country in which
they live. Yes, my friends, you must be a
littls-I was about to say, little more
| long seen that for myself. They sometimes
say to me, Warner, you ought to dress
bettey-you could do it, invariably say,
esof conrso / could, and eventually could
die in the poorhouse."
| The notion now too extensively prevail
ing that the Knights of Labor have an ag-
gressive plank in their platform is all a mis-
take. The organization is simply protec-
tive. The erroneous notion referred to
springs, doubtless, out of the late disgrace
full labor troubles at the North, which have
been largely packed off on this institution.
The Knights of Labor had nothing what
ever to do with that They did not at all
approve of anything like it. That distur-
bance was wholly the work of Anarchists
class Of people who were the very scum
and dregs of foreign countries, and who had
been helped OR driven away for their coun-
try's good. Coming to US they had brought
along their whole possessions, which, un-
fortunately, consisted entirely of unprinci-
pied meanness. And hence these troubles,
and hence the odium unjustly beaped upon
the Knights of Labor by many people
either deeply prejudiced or fearfully in need
of correct information.
| Even politics so conspicuously held up to
the interest of the negro Chat was the
word he used) had no place in the institu-
ton that had brought together SO many
people here to day. And he thanked God
that it had not. Politics had wellnigh
ruined the negro already-a few more years
of its reign as in the past and there would
be little hope for him. The very least that
the negro can have to do with politics the
better for him and his entire race. l know
that Northern politicians hold ont the idea
to US that our very salvation depends on
on our political activity. How? Has poll
tics ever made negro rich? Has it ever
educated his children2 Has it ever made
him q better man2 Has it really done any
thing for him? The Northern politicians
sayN has. They claim that they are doing
great work for us--how are they proving
itP Where are our Northern negro Sens-
tors? Who ever saw negro representing
any part of the North in Congress? When
a Northern negro wants office he comes
South to look for it, and if he happens to
be pretty slick fellow, we'll stocked with
Yankee cunning, he goes out in our Black
Belts and stirs up the passions and preju-
ices of our people till they sometimes give
him one. And then what have they gain
ed? Look carefully over the history IF the
late past and then answer the question for
yourselves.
Ladies and gentleman, here is our home.
The South is the natural home of the
negro and it always will be. lie was born
here and here nature intended that he
should die. Then why be continually at
tempting to stir up home dissensions to no
purpose? Why make it the business of our
lives to engage in, to us, who'ly proatless
struggle against our frieuds9 And right
here, gentlemen, let me assure you that if
the negro has any friends on this broad,
green earth of ours, those friends arc in the
South. They are here at home
He next proceeded to detail some Ct his
own experience at tho North in search of
the friends up there that he had heard 80
much about but had never seen. He was
born and raised south of Mason & Dixon's
line, and after the close of the war he made
up his mind that he wanted to be white,
and from what Northern politicians in the